A Dylan Cover A Day Episode 136. Spanish Harlem Incident (such dreams help pass the days)

By Tony Attwood

The series title made sense during lockdown when we were looking for ways to fill the time. Now it is more like a Dylan cover every two weeks, but we’re still working through the songs. There’s no logic to which songs have appeared in this series other than the fact that I have found a few covers that I think add something to my understanding and enjoyment of the original.

And I approach each new song of course with expectations, as for example here, remembering the Byrds cover which made this lovely original composition sound just like every other Byrds song. A real disappointment – and I’ve not included it here.

But elsewhere my expectations were more than fulfilled.

Joan Osborne plays with the melody and rhythm and comes up with a completely new feel which I really enjoy; indeed this is what I listen to covers for. For me, this puts new life and enjoyment into a song that really hasn’t figured much in my consciousness. A great way to start the exploration.

And I do like contrasts in these explorations, for with Particles of Change we have a delicate rendition of the song taken into completely new directions. Inventing that accompaniment must have been fun – as indeed so must have been the performance. I particularly like the ending around two minutes… I thought for a second it was all over, and then off we go. I would urge you, even if you don’t find much in the opening of the track, to go on, for it mutates, but always keeps the original in mind.

Indeed I wonder sometimes if Bob ever hears renditions like this, and if so, what he thinks. Oh, what I would give still to be performing and have be able to play alongside such musicians as these. Trouble is the pianist we hear on this track has inventiveness way beyond anything I had.

After those first two tracks I find myself wondering what comes next. Chris Whitley keeps closer to the original melody but the accompaniment gives an utterly different feel to the whole field. And I wonder: why has this song so inspired artists to develop it further…

I think the answer tothat is that it is the way the verse divides into two parts – where the second group of four lines starts (for example “You have slayed me, you have made me,”) there’s a real boost to the song, which gives artists a chance to put yet more interpretation into it.

And here we go again with Don Williams – more variations in the rhythm and playing with the melody. Wow – there really is something in this song that has inspired these performers and arrangers. And wow again how I love this rendition – again so unexpected. He was an artist outside of the world of music I have listened to, but oh, this is so worth hearing.

I could go on, for there are many more versions of this song out there which a bit of internet searching can reveal. But let me end with this thought. Bob played this song once in public, on 31 October 1964. How amazing it would be if suddenly out of nowhere he slipped it into the Never Ending Tour – just because someone close to him read this and said, “Hey Bob, there are these guys who do a lot of celebrate your life’s work. Play this for them…”

Won’t happen, I know, but such dreams help pass the days.

The Dylan Cover a Day series

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